Improvement in shoe-fastenings



G, L. FITCH & H. M. JONES.

Shoe-'Fastenings No. 143,445.` Patentedommays@ ritnesses @M KQ/m N 0 .fd/ff jmp JW m.

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GEORGE L. FITCH AND HENRY M. JONES, OF LITTLE LAKE, CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN SH-FSTENINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 143,445, dated October 7, 1873; application filed March 19, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that we, GEORGE L. FITCH and HENRY M. J oNns, of Little Lake, Mendocino coruity, State of California, have invented an Improved Shoe-Fastening; and we do hereby declare the following description and accompanying drawings are sufficient to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which it :most nearly appertains to make and use our said invention or improvement without further invention or experiment.

Our invention relates to what we call an elastic shoe tie or fastener, our object being to provide a cheap, durable, and easily-operated device for fastening or tying shoes, instead of the usual lacing or buttons at present in use.

In `order to properly explain our invention reference is had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this speciiication, in which- Figure l is an enlarged section of the button and securing-strap. Fig. 2 is an enlarged side view of the fastening, partly in section. Fig. 3 is a front view of the shoe and fastening.

Let A A represent the two leaves or flaps of a shoe which it is necessary to lace together in order to fasten the shoe upon the foot. b is a small button, of any suitable form or material. Inside of this button we securely fasten one end of a short strip, roll, or other piece of india-rubber, C, so that it will not pull out. This can be done in various ways, but in the present instance we have represented the end of the rubber strips as being secured by coiling the middle of a metal strip, c, tightly around it, and then passing both ends of the metal strip through an opening in the bottom of the button similar to the manner of attaching eyes to buttons. These projecting ends of the strip e also serve as a means of fastening the button b to the iiap or leaf A of the shoe by passing them through a hole in the flap and spreading and flattening them in opposite directions. To the opposite end of the rubber strip or roll C we secure another button, f, by means of a rivet, t', which passes entirely through the but-` ton, being riveted or headed down on top of the button, and being long enough to project a short distance below the bottom of the button. The lower end of this rivet is provided with a head or other suitable hook or catch. Near the edge of the opposite flap A of the shoe we secure a small plate, s, through the 'center of which is a keyhole-shaped opening, t.

ing-strip C will then draw the parts of the shoe easily together and keep the shoe iittin g snugly to the instep.

It is evident that a great variety of fastening devices and catches can be employed in the construction of this shoe-tie, but it would be useless to enumerate them for the purposes of this application.

The stripC can be protected and strengthened, if desired, by a surrounding coil of wire.

By this means we provide a cheaply-constructed elastic shoe-tie, which can be quickly fastened or unfastened, thus avoiding the great inconvenience of lacing or buttoning the shoes.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- The combination of the button b, having its fastening-attaclnnent for securing one end of the elastic with the button f, provided with a hook engaging in the perforated plate s, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In witness whereof we hereunto set our hands and seals.

HENRY MARTIN J ONES. [L. s.]

GEORG-E LEWIS FITCH. [L. s] Witnesses:

B. F. CoATEs,

W. J. BERRY. 

